Books

We’re finally ready with the results of last week’s giveaway, where we’re giving away 5 copies of Radim Malinic’s new book called #Three.

As you probably know by now, Radim is the illustrator of the awesome graphics that you see in the header and footer of Webdesigner Depot.

The book features Radim’s designs from the past 18 months, both in detail and in real-world settings.

All winners were chosen at random and the results appear after the jump. Radim will contact all winners directly via email with details as to how to receive their prizes.

Did you make it this time? Check below to find out!

Stefan says: Just recieved it! Awesome work! I really recommend buying it, very good for inspiration
Web Developers

Kubrick, the default theme for WordPress since 2005, got many Web and open-source enthusiasts through some pretty tough times.

Developers have modified it, bloggers have learned HTML and CSS on it, and designers have made it their go-to template for designing blogs of all sizes for clients.

But let’s face it: five years on the Web is like a hundred years anywhere else, and Kubrick, even according to its creators, is due for an update.

Enter “Twenty Ten” the new default theme for WordPress 3.0, which is scheduled for an imminent release. Not only does it address general changes in Web standards and style guides, it takes into account the clamoring of designers who love WordPress but have had a hard time applying new principles to an older theme.

TekxY says: Nice post, Twenty Ten is a very clean theme, I just made myself a traslation to spanish, the traditional way, for every1 having...
How to

Forget the clone stamp, paint bucket and pattern presets. When it comes to creating patterns, the ability to duplicate a layer is one of Photoshop’s greatest features.

Semitransparent shapes can be very useful when creating repeated geometric “textures” of color and form.

They’re easy to create, fun to play with and best of all, they can be uniquely yours.

In searching for interesting patterns, designers sometimes pass over basic shapes in favor of more complex geometrics. But simpler is often better.

The trick is to pay attention more to how shapes interact than to how a shape looks on its own.

CG says: Great Tutorial! Thanks a lot! One thing is missing though. Scripting! (Yeah, I'm a geek!) I mean, duplicating all those layers...
Branding

As web designers and developers, we often overlook printed marketing materials.

But on occasion, they can come in very handy: at conferences, when we meet face-to-face with clients, or when we happen to run into someone we might want to do business with. Having business cards is a great way to promote yourself in the physical world.

Of course, since web design is a creative field, you’ll want your business card to serve as a sort of mini portfolio that displays your skills. You should put the same time and energy into designing your business cards that you put into designing a website.

And the skills necessary to design a business card can be easily adapted from those that are required to design a website. Read on for more information about how to design your business cards.

Sheila says: Very nice post! So great to see all of the unique business card designs! I have seen wood cards before, and heard great...
Best Of

Every week we tweet a lot of interesting stuff highlighting great content that we find on the web that can be of interest to web designers.

The best way to keep track of our tweets is simply to follow us on Twitter, however, in case you missed some here’s a quick and useful compilation of the best tweets that we sent out this past week.

Note that this is only a very small selection of the links that we tweeted about, so don’t miss out.

To keep up to date with all the cool links, simply follow us @DesignerDepot

New Hustle says: Wow what a great list! Awesome to see zenhabits on here as well - will be keeping an eye on your favorite weekly tweets, very...
Comics

Every week we feature a set of comics created exclusively for WDD.

The content revolves around web design, blogging and funny situations that we encounter in our daily lives as designers.

These great cartoons are created by Jerry King, an award-winning cartoonist who’s one of the most published, prolific and versatile cartoonists in the world today.

So for a few moments, take a break from your daily routine, have a laugh and enjoy these funny cartoons.

Feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below as well as any related stories of your own…

Maidstone Classifieds says: :) +1 for mirage still there is always a hope, thank you for a smile
Books

Book #THREE by Brand Nu is a unique book that serves as the portfolio of Radim Malinic, one of the most prolific and successful commercial illustrators around.

Radim is the illustrator of the awesome graphics that you see in the header and footer of Webdesigner Depot. If you didn’t see our interview with Radim, you can check it out here

It’s filled with designs from the past 18 months, both in detail and in real-world settings.

The list of clients included in this book is extensive, and includes high profile organizations such as the London Film Museum, QV Melbourne, Acer Computers and Haagen-Dazs ice cream.

Read on to know more about #Three and for a chance to win 1 of 5 books that we will be giving away next week…

Sriganesh says: thanks for the giveaway, a creative inspiration . i like to win the book, the sample showcase has made a big impression !...
Data Visualization

Navigating unfamiliar information on the web requires aids.

These aids don’t have an agenda or bias the way advertising does. Instead, navigational aids help people find the right path based on their interests.

Signposts are one type of navigational aid. They provide the information people need to make their own decisions while searching and surfing the web.

Should a designer worry about a website losing readers? Many websites compete for attention by luring audiences with vibrant illustrations, catchy typography and rich user interfaces.

In addition to being attractive, other websites strive to be useful. The goal of usability isn’t to get attention, but to get repeat visits. Advertising loses readers, in the sense that it directs them to other websites, whereas usability is about making sure they don’t get lost.

RandomTemplate says: I think the key aspect should always remain, users first. Don't worry about your linking in the form of SEO if your site is...